Damage detection in composite laminates aeronautics structures through accelerometers network

Over the past twenty years, the increase of use of structural materials in Aerospace is due to many reasons. While the properties of metallic materials are mastered, the risk behavior of composite materials requires monitoring of the structure. That's why many methods of non-destructive testing (NDT) have been implemented and applied for the evaluation of defects in composites.

The purpose of our research is the development of a new NDT tool for detecting delamination damages in aircraft's structures. The principle diagnostic is based on the application of a reproducible impact wave on a composite panel and its propagation trough an accelerometer sensor network. The presence of defects will be identified by the temporal and frequency response change compared to calibrated reference recorded before the damage.

Therefore, in this paper an experimental study of impact behavior of a composite laminate structure will be presented. The panel is made from a guarded composite long carbon fiber laminate. In the study, the shock propagation wave induced in the materials will take into account the fiber orientation (0°, 45°, 90°, -45°) and plies arrangement (plies stacking sequence of tilt-up). First results of this new NDT for detecting damages of an aircraft structure composite demonstrate the wide possibilities of this technique.